Incubator.



No. 683,830. Patented Oct. I, IBM. w. ANDREWS.

l N CU B AT 0 R (Application filed mm. 14, 1901.

4 Sheets-Shaef I.

(No Model.)

Witnesses No. 683,830. Pate rated Oct. I, |9o|.

E. W. ANDREWS.

INGUBATOB.

(Application filed Jan. 14, 1901.)

(No Modei.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Witizsses I mentor EQWWMWMM I flttorrwy TH: cams Pins 09, pua'roumo WASNINGTON, u. c.

No. 683,830. Patented Out. I, I9Ul. E. W. ANDREWS.

INGUBATOB.

(Application filed Jan. 14, 1901.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

IDI JI Inventor EWWW km Witnesses Th worms Pmns cu. PHOTO-THO. wmmrx wen, u. c.

No. 683,830. Patented Oct. lam,

E. w. ANDREWS.

INCUBATOR.

(Application med Jan. 14, 1901.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Witnesses W QM UNITED STATES I PATENT FFICE.

EDWIN WILLIAM ANDREWS, OF ITIIAGA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CORNELL INOUBATOR MFG. (30., OF SAME PLACE.

INCUBATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,830, dated October 1, 1901.

Application filed January 14, 1901. Serial No. 43,281. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN WILLIAM AN- DREWS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ithaca, in the county of Tompkins and State of New York, have-invented certain new and useful Improvements in Incubators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. 1

My invention relates to improvements in incubators, and especially to that class of incubators which are heated by hot air, and has for its object to automatically provide a more uniform temperature and ventilation and secure simplicity and economy of construction and operation. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my incubator complete. of the same with top and front removed. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through heating-drum and smokepipe on the line C D in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section on line E F in Fig. 3 and looking toward heating end of incubator. Fig. 6 is a section on line G H in Fig. 3 and looking toward the other end of incubator. Fig. 7 is a perspective View of heating-drum and smokeflues. Fig. 8 is a perspective of the chimney in heating-drum. Fig. 9is aperspective view of the heating-drum. Fig. 10 is a perspective View of smoke-box connection with chimney. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of air-box connection with heating-drum. Fig. 12 is a section of the conical connection or collar, illustrating connection between bottom of chimney and lamp.

Similar letters and numbers refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In general my invention consists of the familiar form of incubator-box with double partitions and air-spaces between, Figs. 1 and 2, a heating-drum exterior to the incubator-box and connected therewith by hot-air pipes and smoke-pipes, utilizing in the hot-air circulation and in ventilation the air-spaces in each end and in the bottom of the incubator-box.

I now proceed to describe the various parts and construction in detail.

The heating-drum A is the means of sup- Fig. 2 is a perspective view plying heat to the incubator, and consists of a shell of thin or sheet metal 1, most conveniently cylindricalin form, with a central chimney or smoke-flue 2, having the same axis as the shell and of a considerably smaller diamter than the shell, so that an air-space 3 surroundsthe flue between it and the shell. This fine is preferably made in the form of a truncated cone, Fig. 8, with the small end up and is open to its full diameter at bottom and top, being supported in position by the heads 4: of the shell or heating-drum. An inverted truncated conical collar 5, Fig. 12, fits closely against the bottom end of the flue 2 and is held in position surrounding the source of heat (which may be a lamp or gas flame) by any suitable support for the lamp or gas fixture G. A hole 7 is cut in the side of this collar and provided with a mica cover, so that the size of the flame may be seen and regulated. In the drawings alamp 8 is illustrated, and I prefer to use a lamp with good keroseneoil as safer and more convenient under all conditions. It is supported, as shown, by rods 9, attached to the oil-reservoirand to the shell of the drum. Several holes 10 are out through the shell of the drum, in or near the bottom thereof. Each supporting-rod is angled at its upper end, so as to hook into one of these holes. With this construction the lamp may be very readily removed for refilling, trimming of wick, cleaning, 850. Several holes 11 are cut in the upper head of the shell around the end of the flue 2 and communicating with the air-space 3 below, already mentioned. Ihe use and purpose of these last-mentioned holes 11 will be hereinafter indicated.

Aconnectingair-box 12,0fsheet metal,open at both ends, is attached rigidly by riveting or soldering, or both, to the drum near its upper end and at right angles to the axis thereof, fitting closely the opening 13 in the side of the drum and communicating with the air-space 3. Fitted within this air-box is a smoke box or i'lue la, projecting into the drum, the chimney projecting through it and fitted air-tight to the upper and lower-Walls of the fine. A hole 15 is cut in the side of the chimney 2, affording circulation between it and the smoke box or flue 14:. This flue is made of such dimensions relatively to the air-box 12 as to leave a surrounding air-space 36, communicating with the air-space in the drum.

The air-box 12 is fitted to project through the walls of one end of the incubator-box B into the incubating-chamber Y and near the top thereof. The air-box is fastened rigidly to the incubator-box by the flange 15. In this manner the heating-drum A is supported in position outside and near the incubatorbox 13.

There is no direct communication between either of the boxes and the airspace 16 in the end of the incubator-box, the walls 17 18 fitting closely and practically air-tight around the walls of the box 12. The smoke box or flue 14 on the end projecting into the incubating-chamber is provided with one or more flanged openings 19, to each of which is closely fitted a smoke-pipe 20, extending horizontally through the incu hating-chamber and near the top thereof, through the inner wall 21 of the opposite end of the incubator-box, and thence angling upward and extending of reduced diameter up through the top of the incubator-box at 22. This smoke-pipe I make oval in cross-section to provide greater radiating-surface and so as to occupy less of the perpendicular space in the incubator-box. I preferably use two such smoke-pipes 20, connecting with the smoke-box 14 and extending through the incubating-chamber and up through the top, as described. These pipes diverge, Figs. 2 and 7, as they extend to the opposite end of the incubating-box, so that they are each at that point near the adjacent sides of the incubating-chamber. This is shown in Fig. 2. Two pipes are preferable, as affording more radiating-surface and more uniform distribution of heat. It should be noted here that there is no opening or communication into these pipes from the incubating-chamber nor from any of the airspaces herein described. Underneath the smoke-pipes, at the end of the chamber next to the heating-drum, a shelf 23 is provided, on which to place a shallow open vessel 24, containing water to moisten the air entering the incubating-chamber as the conditions of atmosphere and incubation may require.

Near the bottom and sides of the incubatingchamber several holes 25 are made through the inner end wall of the chamber and farthest from the heating'drum, thus affording air communication through the same with the air-space 26. As shown in Figs. 2 and 6, these holes are omitted in the center, as experience has shown that the air is apt to be warmer in or near the center than at the sides of the chamber. Therefore the heated air should circulate more actively near the sides.

Two holes 27 communicate through the top of the incubator-box with the air-space 16 in the other end, and these holes or ventilators I place well toward each upper corner of such space, as shown in Fig. 1.

The bottom of the incubator-box is made double, Fig. 2, with an air-space 29 freely communicating with the air-spaces 16 26 in each end.

A disk of metal or other suitable material 30 is suspended from its center over and in proximity to the top of the heating-drum A and ofsuitable diameter to cover all the holes 11 in the drum-head. Operative connection is made by means of the suspending-rod 31 and balancing-arm 32, pivotally supported at 33 on top of the incubator-box, and the connecting-rod 34 with a thermostat 35, attached to a support 42 in the incubating-chamber. This thermostat is of any well known construction.

The upper end of the connecting-rod 34 is threaded and provided with an adjusting thumb-nut 44.

The end of the arm 32 over the incubatorbox is provided with a sliding weight 45 to counterbalance the weight of the disk 30. This weight should be so adjusted as to a little more than balance the disk and thermostat and so keep the slack out of the connections between the arm 32 and the thermostat 35.

In actual operation the temperature of the incubating-chamber as it rises or falls causes the connecting-rod 34 to rise or fall accordingly and allow the disk 30 to recede from or approach the head of the heating-drum.

Having thus described in detail the construction of my incubator, it remains to describe the manner of its use and operation.

When the lamp 8 is first lighted, the temperature in the incubating-chamber is lower than desired. It is desired accordingly to raise the temperature therein. This is done by so adjusting the thumbnut 44 above the arm 32 that the disk 30 will rest on the head of the heating-drum A and cover all the holes 11 therein and the chimney-opening. The heat and gases and other products of combustion flOIll the lamp-flame follow the direction of the arrows in Fig. 4 through the chimney 2, the box 14, and the pipes 20, and so out through the openings 22 in the top of the incubator-box. The walls of these fines and pipes are thus heated and by radiation and contact heat the air in the incubating chamber and in the heating-drum. Fresh air enters through the holes 10, is heated by the chimney 2, and a circulation of, heated air is produced through the heating-drum in the space 3 surrounding the chimney 2, the heated air taking the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4 through the drum and airbox into the incubating-chamber Y, through this latter .in a general direction to the holes 25, and thence through the air-space 29 in the bottom of the incubator-box and upward through the air-space 16 in the end of the incubator-box next the heating-drum and out of the openings 27 from the air-space 16 through the top of the box. This air in its slow circulation through the incubatingchamber is also further heated bythe smoke cubating.

pipes and fines, as described. By adjustment of the thumb-nut 44: the disk 30 is kept resting on the drumhead and so stopping the holes therein till the temperature in the cham ber to raised to the degree desired, when the thumb-nut is adjusted to allow the disk to rise from the drum-head. The moment this is done the heat and products of combustion naturally pursue the direct course out of the top of the heating-drum, and the smoke-box 14 and smoke-pipes 20 cool down. The holes 11 around the chimney being also open the surrounding air heated by the chimney now makes its exit by those holes and the heated fresh air ceases to enter the incubating-chamher, and a reverse circulation of fresh air not heated is induced through the openings 27, air-spaces 16 29 26, chamber Y, air-box 12, and holes 11, as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 1 and 2. This lowers the temperature in the chamber, and the action of the thermostat causes the disk 30 to approach and cover or rest upon the drumhead. The draft and circulation are checked or changed, and the required temperature is again restored. By means of the thumb-nut 44 and thermostat 35 the position of the disk 30 may be so delicately adjusted and con trolled that the temperature will be automatically kept within a variation of not more than one or two degrees without any attention whatever and without any change in the size or amount of the flame or fire under the heating-drum.

In the foregoing description of the construction and operation of my invention I have used the words incubator and in- I do not mean to be so limited in the use and application of said invention. The same construction may be also used for brooders and brooding purposes or for brooding the chicks after they are hatched.

The advantages I claim for my invention are several: First, absolutely no part of the smoke, gases of combustion, and vitiated air passing through the chimney and smoke-fines is discharged into or gains access to the incubating-chamber; second, only fresh heated air is delivered and supplied to the incubating-chamber; third, a circulation of fresh heated air or the reverse circulation of fresh unheated air is automatically maintained in and through the incubating-chamber, rendering it wholly unnecessary to otherwise ventilate or chance the air therein; fourth, my invention and system of heating and ventilation I believeproduce better results and at less care, attention, trouble, and expense to the operator than any other incubators of this class.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-- 1. In combination with an incubator, a heating-drum connecting therewith and having a central chimney or flue open at top and bottom, with an air-space surrounding the chimney but not communicating with it, one or more air-inlets to said spacein or near the bottom of the drum, one or more air-outlets from said space through the top of the drum, means of opening and closing said outlets, and an air-flue connection between said space and the incubating-chamber, as described.

2. In combination with an incubator, a heating-drum connecting therewith and having a central chimney or flue open at top and bottom, with an air-space surrounding the chimney but not communicating with it, one or more air-inlets to said space in or near the bottom of the drum, one or more air-outlets from said space through the top of the drum, means of opening and closing said outlets, air-flue connection between said space and the adjoining end of incubating-chamber,

municating with it, one or more air-inlets to said space in or near the bottom of the drum, one or more air outlets from said space through the top of the drum, means of opening'and closing said outlets, air-flue connec tion between said space and the adjoining end of the incubating-chamber, and an airpassage within the bottom and end walls of the chamber, communicating therewith and through the top of the incubator with the external air, as described.

4. In an incubator, a heating-drum connecting therewith and having a central chimney or fiue open at top and bottom, with an airspace surrounding the chimney but not communicating with it, one or more air-inlets to said space in or near the bottom of the drum, one or more air-outlets from said space through the top of the drum, means of opening and closing said outlets and top of chim ney, an opening in the side of the chimney and near its top communicating with one or more smoke-fines extending horizontally through the upper part of the incubatingchamber and up through the top of the incubator, air-flue connection between said airspace and the adjoining end of the incubat ing-chamber, and an air-passage within the bottom and end walls of the chamber, comthrough the top of the drum, means of opening and closing said outlets and top of chimney, such means being automatically controlled by a thermostat within the incubatin g chamber, as described.

7. In an incubator, aheating-drum connecting therewith and having a central chimney or flue open at top and bottom, with an airspace surrounding the chimney but not communicating with it, one or more air-inlets to said space in or near the bottom of the drum, one or more air outlets from said space through the top of the drum, means of opening and closing said outlets and top of chimney, such means being automatically controlled by a thermostat within the incubating chamber, and one or more smoke-fines connecting with the chimney near its top and extending horizontally through the upper part of the incubating-chamber, as described.

8. The system of heating and ventilating incubators, consisting of a hot-air heatingdrum, an air-inlet near the bottom of the drum, a hot-air-iulet pipe from. the drum to the incubating-chamber, a hot-air-outlet passage from the latter, a direct hot-air outlet through the top of the drum, and means of opening and closing said last-mentioned outlet whereby a current of hot air is secured through said pipes and chamber when such outlet is closed, and a reverse current of fresh air is secured through the same pipes and chamber when said outlet is opened, substantially as described.

9. The system of heating and ventilating incubators, consisting of a hot-air heatingdrum exterior to the incubating-chamber, an air-inlet near the bottom of the drum, a hotair-inlet pipe from the drum to the incubating-chamber, a hot-air-outlet passage from the latter, a direct hot-air outlet through the top of the drum, and means of opening and closing said last-mentioned outlet, whereby a current of hot air is secured through said pipes and chamber when such outlet is closed and a reverse current of fresh air is secured through the same pipes and chamber when said outlet is opened, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN \VILLIAM ANDREWS.

lVitnesses:

LORENZO CLINTON, FRED H. SMITH. 

